We woke up this morning to find out that Monocle has named Helsinki the winning city in its most liveable city index for 2011.  Being in Helsinki at the moment, this made perfect sense.  As Finland spent the latter half of the 21st Century working to make the transition from a rural nation with an economy driven by timber and manufacturing to a more dynamic economy that placed value in innovation and design, Helsinki grew to become an important urban center.  Today, Helsinki is a vibrant, highly efficient city.  And Monocle's index ranking reflects the cultural wealth of the place, but it is also a result of the growth of small businesses, many that fall within the city's core design-driven creative economy. 

In an interview with Monocle, Helsinki's mayor, Jussi Pajunen, talks about how his country is building and growing at a time when others are cutting back.  Take a listen, here. 

Also, take a look at Monocle's short video about Helsinki and why it was picked as the most liveable city. Click here.